VPN Disconnects? Two Ways SafeGuard Enforces Your VPN

A VPN can protect your privacy, enable geo-unblocking, and encrypt your traffic. But there is one big problem: anyone can go into Settings and change or disable the VPN. SafeGuard, running as a Device Owner, gives you two distinct ways to enforce your VPN — one that locks the settings, and one that sets up Always-On VPN with a kill switch directly.

Two ways to enforce your VPN

By default ("None" in the UI), SafeGuard does not touch your VPN at all. The two options below add increasing levels of enforcement.

Way 1: Block VPN settings entirely

SafeGuard blocks access to VPN settings altogether — preventing anyone from opening Network & Internet settings and changing the VPN configuration. The VPN toggle simply isn't available.

This is useful when you already configured your VPN with Always-On VPN and "Block connections without VPN" enabled manually, and you just want to make sure nobody changes it.

Way 2: Lock a specific VPN app with Always-On

The more powerful option. SafeGuard uses the standard Device Policy Manager API to configure Always-On VPN directly from the app — no need to touch Settings manually. You pick which VPN app becomes the device's Always-On VPN, and SafeGuard sets it up for you.

What's more: SafeGuard enables lockdown mode (equivalent to "Block connections without VPN" in the manual settings). In this mode, when the VPN disconnects — for any reason — all network traffic is blocked completely until the VPN comes back. No vulnerability window, no data leaks.

And crucially: this setting is managed by the Device Owner, so it cannot be changed or disabled through regular Settings. SafeGuard itself protects this setting through its delay and sponsor mechanism — any change requires authorization through the security process.

Why SafeSurf does not need a VPN at all

SafeSurf Browser does not rely on a VPN for content filtering. The filtering happens directly in the browser — not at the network level. There is no VPN that can disconnect, no kill switch to enable, and no VPN settings for anyone to tamper with.

But if you need a VPN for another reason — work, privacy, or geo-unblocking — SafeGuard gives you full control. SafeGuard also protects you on the other layers:

• WebView blocking — closing in-app browsers in apps like social media.
• Private DNS lock — preventing DNS setting changes for content filtering.
• Device Owner lockdown — preventing removal or bypass of all protections.